Pipe cleaning machine



Nov. 17, 1,942. .1. s. DowNs ETAL f A 2,302,196

PVIPE CLEANING MACHINE Filed Feb. 24, 1941 2 sheetssheet 1 3 wv afm/tou; Jesse Ibai/n.1*

Nov. 17, 1.942- J. s. DowNs ET Al. 2,302,196

PIPE CLEANING MACHINE v Filed Feb. 24, -1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 5mm/vbo@ Jesse Downs f rnes 15C ummings Patented Nov. 17, 1942 PIPE CLEANING MACHINE .lesse S. Downs and Ernest E. Cummings,

. Houston, Tex.

Application February 24, 1941, Serial No. 380,402

3 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in pipe cleaning machines.

One object of this invention is to provide an improved pipe cleaning machine which may be utilized so as to support the pipe while it is being cleaned, rather than having the pipe support the machine.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved pipe cleaning machine which is capable of traveling along the pipe under its own motive power, whereby pipe extending across gullies or small streams'kr'vnay be cleaned by the machine as it travels under its own power.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved pipe cleaning machine which may be utilized to carry out various operations such as scraping the pipe, brushing the pipe, and painting and wrapping the pipe.

The machine is adapted to be used for carrying out the operations given hereinabove Wherever such operations are desirable, and particularly when pipe lines are being laid. The machine is used to clean and coat the pipe as it is laid in the ground, or may be used to recondition pipe which is being dug up and relaid.

A constructio-n designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafter described, together with other features of the invention.

The invention willbe more readily understood from a reading of the following specification and' by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which an example of the invention is shown, and

wherein: y

Figure 1 is a View in elevation of a pipe cleaning machine, constructed in accordance with the invention, showing a scraping attachment aixed to one end of the machine and a brushing attachment affixed to the other end of the machine,

Figure 2is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, showing the supporting wheels out of engagement with the pipe, and

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, and

showing the supporting wheels in engagement with the pipe.

In the drawings, the numeral I0 designates a supporting frame having a pair of longitudinally disposed side members II. The side members II are disposed in parallel relation to one another and are connected by a pair of axles I2 near either end of said members. A pair of*- wheels I3 are mounted upon 'each of the axles I2 so as to engage the under side of the pipe Y being cleaned, which is designated in the drawings by the lettera As will be noted in Figures C p eye 20 extends upwardly from the lfar I9, and an- 2 and 3, of the drawings, the peripheries Ao'f the wheels I3 are beveled inwardly so as to more closely 'conform to the contours of the pipe A.

A flat circular disk I4 is secured to each end of the side members Il so as t3 extend upwardly therefrom' in a vertical plane. Each of the disks I4 is provided with an axial opening I5 through which the pipe A passes. Diagonal bracing members I6 lextendi'rom each of the disks I4 to a point near the center of each of the side members II, and are sccured to the disks and the side members. Thus, as is shown in Figure l-,reach ofthe side` members has'a diagonal bracing member I6 extending to'each of the disks I4. An arm I1 is pivotally vconnec'zted to the upper end of each of the bracing members I6 so asto swing in a longitudinal vaxis of the machine. The free end of each oi the arms I1 is provided vwith a longitudinal slct I8, and a bar I9 extendsvtransversely of the machine `through each ofthe slots I8. In this manner, .there vis provided a pair of arms "onQeachuside of,the,

frame Il), and each pair of. armsfhas-it's free ends loosely connected to each other and to the free ends of the ,other pair of arms'by the bar I9.' An

ear 2i projects downwardly from the free end of one ofthe arms I1 upon each side of the frame. A spring 22 is securedto each of theears 2I and extends .downwardly therefrom. The lowervendsr of the springs 22 are secured to the side members I I Thus, the springs 22 tend to urge the arms I1 constantly to swing the side members II.

The pair of arms Il, which are pivotally mounted upon the bracing members I6. which in turn are attached to the right-hand disk I4, are connectedtogether near their pivot point by a transverse axle 23. A .pair of wheels'24, similar to the wheels I3, are mounted upon the axle 23 so as to engage the'upper side of the pipe A. The other pair of arms, which are attached to the left-bank disk I4, are similarly connected by a transverse axle 25, which carries a pair of wheels 26 smilar to the wheels I3. Maniestly, by exerting a lifting force through the eye 20, the bar I9 and the -arms I1 will be li'ted or raised so that the springs 22 are forced to vi-cd, and the wheels 24 and 26 are withdrawn from engagement with the pipe A. It will be noted that the bar I9 will undergo al limited movement within the slots lI8 as this operation takes place. As .the bar reaches the ends of the slots. the arms will be raised no farther andthe entire frame I0 will be lifted so thatthe pipe A restsupon the wheels downwardly toward I3. Similarly, when the lifting force is removed from the eye 20, the springs 22 will cause the arms Il to swing downwardly so that the wheels 24 and 26 are forced into engagement with the upper side of the pipe A. In this position, which is shown in Figure 3, the pipe `will be clamped between the wheels 24 and 26 and the wheels I3 by the action of the spring 22.

A supporting framework 21 depends from the side members II, and carries a motor 28. 'Ihe motor 28 is shown in the drawings as being a gasoline engine, however, any type of motive power may be utilized. A shaft 29 extends longitudinally of the frame IU at one side thereof, and is rotatably supported by bearing blocks 30 which are secured to the disks I4. A suitable chain drive 3| extends from the motor 28 to the ,shaft 29, whereby rotation of the motor will cause the shaft to rotate. Suitable clutch means 32 are disposed between the motor and the chain drive `3 I, whereby the motor may be disconnected from the latter.

A gear box 33 is also connected to the motor through the clutch means 32, vand is connected by means of a chain drive 34 to one of the wheels I 3. Thus. rotation of the motor, when the clutch 32 is engaged, will cause one of the wheels I3 to be rotated, whereby the machine is moved along the pipe in a longitudinal direction.

The ends of the shaft 29 project beyond the `disks I4, and carry cog wheels 35. Large cog wheels 36 are supported upon the disks I4 by means of grooved Jnearing wheels 31 which are disposed about the disks; (The cog'wheels 36 are provided with an axial opening 38, and th'e inner periphery of said cog wheels engages in the grooves of the bearing wheels 31. In this manner, the cog wheels are securely mounted and held in position upon the machine.

Any suitable type of pipe handling equipment may be secured to the cog wheels 36. Ihis ln vention is not limited to any particular type of such equipment. but is constructed so as to handle any of the various types now being used. All oi' this equipment, or `a large percentage of it, is adapted to be rotated about the pipe as it operates. In Figure 1. a pipe-scraping attachment 33 is shown as secured to the left-hand cog wheel 36. This Vattachment is provided with spring-pressed scraper members 40 which scrape the outside of the pipe to remove rust or corrosion, and other foreign matter. As the cog wheel is rotated, the pipe-scraping attachment 39 is rotated. whereby the pipe is cleaned.

A brushing attachment 4I is shown as secured to theright-hand cog wheel 36 in Figure 1 of the drawings. This attachment carries springpressed brushes 42 which engage the surface of the pipe A, and brush the pipe as the attachment 4I is rotated about thel pipe by the cog wheel. This machine is adapted to travel to the left. as viewed in Figure 1, so that the brushing operation follows the scraping operation.

If desired, the scraping attachment 39 may be replaced by a painting attachment (not shown) which coats the pipe with a suitable corrosion-resisting paint; and the brushing attachment 4I may be replaced by a pipe-wrapping attachment -(not shown) which wraps the pipe with a heavy protective wrapping. Various combinations of pipe handling and treating attachments may -be mounted upon and operated'by this machine.

In the operation of the machine, a tractor (not shown) or some similar vehicle having a boom is utilized. A hook 43 depending from a block 7j? 44 is engaged within the eye 20. A hoisting line 45 is passed through the block 44 to the boom and the tractor. In this manner, the machine may be raised or lowered by the boom as desired.

The tractor travels along the pipe A with the ma- V ried along by the tractor. The supporting wheel I3, which is driven by the motor 28, will have a steadying effect upon the movement of the machine along the pipe. Instead of moving along in jerks and jumps, the machine will travel at a steady pace so that the pipe is efficiently and uniformly cleaned. If the driving connection to the wheel I3 were omitted, the machine would still function, but it would tend to jerk along the pipe as it is moved by the tractor.

At any time when it is desired to do so, the eye 20 may be lowered so that the wheels 24 and 26 engage the pipe. The hook 43 is removed from the eye so that the machine moves along the pipe by means of the driving wheel I3 alone. The machine now moves under its own power, and may traveL along stretches or portions of pipe which extend Aacross gullies or small streams. With other machines, it would be diillcult to clean these portions of pipe. However, with this machine the problem is greatly simplified.

Various changes, alterations and modications may be made in the size, shape and arrangement of the herein described elements, within the scope of the appended claims.

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A pipe treating machine including, a frame adapted to receige a pipe, rotatable supporting members carried 'by the frame and adapted to engage the lower portion of the pipe, additional rotatable members secured to the frame and adapted to engage the upper portion of the pipe, said latter members being mounted upon levers pivoted upon the frame, the free ends of said levers being connected to each other and to a supporting element whereby as said element is engaged and raised the levers will be swung to raise the latter named members from engagement with the pipe, resilient means connected to the levers so as to urge the same downwardly and bring the last named members into engagement with the pipe so as to support the frame upon said pipe and to clamp the pipe between the first named .rotatable members and the last named rotatable members, and a pipe treating attachment secured to at least one end of the frame.

2. A pipe treating machine including, a frame adapted to receive a pipe, rotatable supporting members carried by the frame and adapted to engage the underside of the pipe, arms pivoted to the frame, rotatable members mounted upon the arms and adapted to be swung into engagement with the upper portion oi'A the pipe, said arms having their free ends linked to a common supporting element whereby said element may be engaged and raised to swing the arms upwardly and disengage the latter named rotatable elements so as to disengage the same from the pipe, resilient means connected from the frame to the free ends of the arms for urging the same down--l wardly and swinging the last named rotatable members into engagement with the pipe and clamping the pipe between the rst named and the last named rotatable members at such times as the machine is being lifted by the supporting element, and pipe treating attachments secured to at least one end of the frame.

3. A pipe treating machine including, a frame adapted to receive a pipe, upper supporting roller means connected to the-frame and mounted to swing a predetermined distance away from the pipe, resilient means to normally urge the upper rollers into supporting engagement with the pipe,

and external supporting means operably connected with the upper roller means vto lift the same out of Contact with the 'pipe andthus re- 5 move the weight of-the'- device from the pipe. 4 f

. l JESSE s.DoWNs. Y l'Emmer E. cUMMmGs. 

